Bob Schwartz

Tag: Republicans

November 5, 2025

The House will reopen soon, the federal government maybe not

Elected Republicans are thinking a little bit more today about the consequences of their actions and strategies.

Republicans control the House and have shut it down for months. They believe this issue has been lost in the bigger issue of the entire shutdown of the federal government and the damage it is doing and the suffering it has caused. Which, according to them, is all the fault of the Democrats.

That changed today. In light of the election results yesterday, which the president takes personally, he has reversed the claim that Democrats are to blame for the shutdown. He now properly blames the shutdown on the Republicans.

It is easier to open the House. Speaker Johnson can do this in the time it takes to read this post. He may have to bear up under the seating of newly elected Democrat Adelita Grajalva, who would be the deciding vote on demanding release of the infamous Epstein Files. But there is now a concern that Republicans are vulnerable at the polls, and the indisputable charge that they alone are responsible for the House not working at all—can’t blame the Democrats for that—will get noticed. Even if voters aren’t asking questions now, they will.

It is harder to open and restart the federal government, even now that the president has endorsed doing it. The Democratic demand is that SNAP and the ACA subsidies must be assured by Congress in the budget bill. No matter what the Republicans say, voters are also noticing that keeping food from 42 million Americans and cheaper health insurance from millions more is the fault of the Republicans. But not spending money on hungry people and on the health of Americans is part of the current Republican plan. It’s a quandary for Republicans.

So the House will reopen soon, even if it means seating Congresswoman Grijalva, but ending the shutdown may take longer.

© 2025 Bob Schwartz

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June 30, 2025

Mr. Jesus Goes to Washington

Republicans in Congress seem to have lost their way. They could use a more altruistic, less self-serving vision of Americans and their lives.

Many of those members identify as religiously faithful, the majority faithful Christians.

What if some famous religious figures visit Congress and talk about its role in helping to make American lives better?

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington was made by legendary director Frank Capra, himself a faithful Christian. His movies, including It’s A Wonderful Life, reflect open-hearted idealism.

In the movie, small-town good guy Jefferson Smith, who leads a group of local boys, ends up in the U.S. Senate. There he finds himself among a group of much less innocent men. They reject his ideals, sure he will change or be distracted. He is advised to be pragmatic. When he won’t play along, forces try to stop him. In the end, it is the same group of boys who help good triumph.

What if Jesus visited Congress right now? Would Christian members believe him? Would they question whether he is the real Jesus? Would they argue that his interpretation of the Christian mission is wrong, even though it is his own words at issue?

Not for the first time, Jesus will still preach to these naysayers. Maybe he will filibuster, as Mr. Smith did until he collapsed in exhaustion. Jesus is no stranger to extreme public sacrifice in service of the greater good.

Will Mr. Jesus go to Washington? Many Republicans think he is already there. But is he really?

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